Home of the Handicapper's Champion

Del Mar for Friday 30 November 2018

The race card today and Friday have at total 7 grass races carded so with rain in the forecast I had to study for 7 races being taken off of the turf possibly. So only the top two horses have comments for both days because on some time constraints.

Best of luck as always!

race 1 above average clarity

4 Out of Patience Mulhall has claimed this fellow back multiple times as she has had plenty of success with him........almost all of his races when in the Mulhall barn are quite good at today's level......voided claim in last but 4+ months off to recover.......very solid at the winners circle here if he has

1 Twirling Tiger nice improvement in his latest (and somewhat hidden in its strength) which was his 1st out following the Charles Treece claim.......that effort at today's one claiming level lower fits fine provided he gets a better trip.....one post might help provide it as this fellow has a decent history when breaking from the one hole

3 Lindante

race 2 average clarity

5 Sass Machine trainer George Papaprodromou is quietly having a nice meeting and might add to the good times here dropping his filly a couple of MC levels to MC32K follow a decent debut at the MC50K level .........his two-year old filly ran 3rd 4L behind the winner who can back to win again........rider upgrade and a subtle one

3 Lady Kim 69.70 to 1 in her MSW debut has "gimme" written all over it to drop....... and........ go go go for his 2nd start at the bottom level MC for a two-year old at Del Mar......recent 24 November 4F work hints she might have some speed......and the fact Maldonado gets the call supports the notion

6 Athleisure

8 A Dime for Me

2 Cat Holic

race 3 below average clarity

(if off the turf: 6-5-2-3-1)

6 Honor Guard new trainer today in D'Amato (was Baffert) following 8 month break.......last race (his 2nd lifetime) was on March 24th at SA at 7F where he dueled in decent pace and did so on a dull inside........predictably tired in the stretch........despite being beat by 11L he still earned an adjusted for trouble Santucci fig that is par like for the MSW level........a.m. work hints the D'A has him ready......grass pedigree is decent

5 Impeachableoffense not much "cookin" in two lifetime MSW races run in the summer & fall of 2017........but the blinkers come off for his 3rd lifetime start and his a.m. prowess hints the equipment change and/or his maturity has made him a worthy individual of another shot at the MSW level

1 Pitino

2 Goldie's Hills

race 4 average clarity

8 Pulpitinthesky 2 for 2 lifetime at 6 1/2 furlongs on the dirt finishing up well in both races one of which was at Del Mar.......that bodes well for his chances of appreciating the 7F he needs to cover today.......and of course the drop should help as might the change in riders

7 Eskenforadrink bobbled and checked a total of about 2L and still manged to get loose and wire the field in his 1st at today's 7F distance......seems to like the Del Mar main track.......bug boy Figueroa is awfully reliable on main track surfaces especially for Peter Miller

3 Empress of Lov

2 Cinnamon Twist

5 Bragging Rights

race 5 average clarity

2 Easy Shot all three lifetime races are par like for the MC80K two-year old racing level and with few reasons not to believe that he is capable of another.......and........brothers Desormeaux have been fairly hot of late

5 Reedley Baffert is 5 for 10 at the meeting thru last Sunday with his last win coming with a 1st time starter.......works seem up to snuff for a 1st timer and almost everything that today's rider VanDyke gets for Bob is "live"

1 Platinum Nights

6 Strike That

race 6 average clarity

(if off the turf: 6-9-3-5-1-7)

6 North County Guy very strong sprint grass race down the SA hill in his latest.......so so breeding to handle his 1st at a route but Richie Baltas is very dangerous the 1st time he sends a given horse around two turns of turf........sprint-sprint-route scenario as well

9 Count Alexander away since November 2017 when he put in 5 good lifetime starts all of which were on the grass and fit well for today's racing level......and.......his only two one mile grass races were at higher racing levels and he finished 2nd and (a 1 1/2 length) 4th in those races......tightly spaced 6 day interval works hint he might be "meant & ready"

7 Cupid's Claws

1 Encumbered

11 Magic Musketier

race 7 average clarity

3 Staythirstymyamigo (3 2 1 0) on the dirt since Edward Freeman took over the training duties........very solid effort/fig in latest........1st at a route today with an OK pedigree to handle one.......sprint-sprint-route scenario for today........Freeman has won 2 of his last 10 with 3 others in the money with the maneuver

4 Imperial Creed two grass route races to start her career were not too impressive but her 3rd start which was in a dirt mile was........the number earned in the MC40K over at SA was par like for today's higher racing level.......that and the race has plenty of speed signed up which might flatter her off pace running style

6 Proud Emma

1 Divine Dharma

race 8 average clarity

(if off the turf: 5-9-7-4-10-3)

4 The Big Train seems best on the Del Mar turf......retains Prat which seems quite significant as he was a voided claim in his latest........three works since the race 33 days ago and with a nice bullet 5F drill only 5 days ago both support the idea that he is healthy enough

5 Rapid Red consistent sort on the grass and just was just claimed by the ever dangerous Jerry Hollendorfer.......placed as 2nd choice instead of the top pick mostly because he is (8 1 1 3) at one mile on the turf and perfect 3 for 3 in the win column at other turf distances